Guangzhou’s Metro Just Got Bigger: Here’s What You Need to Know

Did you know passengers make seven million trips on the Guangzhou Metro every day? This probably explains why it feels like everyone in the city is riding the metro when you enter Zhujiang New Town Metro Station after work.

The good news is one new line, Line 7, and two line extensions, on Line 6 and the Guangfo Line, have officially begun operating as of today, December 28.

Line 7 is set to benefit Panyu dwellers, as the line cuts directly across the district, linking Guangzhou South Railway Station to the Higher Education Mega Center South. The new line will also have connections with Lines 2, 3 and 4.

As previously reported, three stations on the newly opened Line 7 host ‘culture walls’ profiling elements of Lingnan culture (the culture of Guangdong and nearby provinces in southeastern China). These stations are: Shibi, Nancun Wanbo and Higher Education Mega Center South.

The Phase Two extension of the Guangfo Line will further cover Foshan territory, while the Line 6 expansion will stretch out from Changban Metro Station to cover a vast area of Luogang District.

It's worth noting that Line 6 will now run two different itineraries: one from Xunfeng Gang and stopping at Changban (the original route) and the other from Xunfeng Gang and stopping at the Xiangxue Metro Station, the end of the new exetension.

The Line 6 extension runs an additional 10 stops, from the Botanical Garden to Xiangxue Metro Station.

If the expansion of Guangzhou’s subway system isn’t enough to get you excited, maybe the fact all metro lines – with the exception of the Guangfo Line – will now offer free Wi-Fi. Download the app ‘花生地铁WiFi’ to access free wireless internet in the Guangzhou Metro.

It is estimated that 7,770,000 trips will now be made daily on the Guangzhou Metro, making the subway system China’s most crowded, according to Guangzhou Metro operators.

Now stretching 308.7 kilometers, Guangzhou’s metro network is the third longest nationally and the 10th longest globally in terms of mileage, according to Guangzhou Daily.